Shoplifting is a problem faced by almost all retailers. It is however not the only form of criminal “theft” activity faced by retailers. Retail fraud, such as gift card fraud, barcode fraud and return fraud is also a common problem among retailers. Barcode fraud takes various forms, one of which is the surreptitious transfer a barcode label from a lower priced item of merchandise to a higher priced item of merchandise. Another form of barcode fraud involves replacing an original barcode label with a custom-made barcode label associated with a lower price. This particular form of barcode fraud involves capturing an image of a legitimate barcode from an actual, lower priced item of merchandise, and using readily available software and printers to produce an authentic looking barcode label, which is then placed over the barcode on a higher priced item of merchandise.
Detection of barcode fraud is sometimes possible at checkout counters, if the checkout counter staff scrutinize the barcodes or barcode labels when scanning the barcodes or if the checkout counter staff verify that the reported prices and/or the descriptions associated with the scanned barcodes reasonably correspond to the items of merchandise before them. However, with the proliferation of self-checkout counters, there exists no easy way for retail staff to perform any such verification in an expeditious manner, while maintaining the purported efficiency of self-checkout counters. Although some retailers place staff near the self-checkout counters in an attempt to detect customers buying expensive items of merchandise at suspiciously low prices, the levels of detection of barcode fraud are generally relatively low.
Several methods have been proposed for countering barcode fraud. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,909,363, to Anderson discloses a label which deters removal from one product for application on another product. The label comprises three parts separated by separation lines, two of which have pull tabs to allow them to be easily removed, while the third part is a narrow strip between the separation lines that does not have a pull tab. When the label parts that have pull tabs are lifted off the product, the label separates at the separation lines, leaving the third narrow strip on the product, and any attempt to reconstruct the label after it has been removed from the product is futile. In other embodiments, the label has two parts made of material that stretches when the parts are removed from a product. The stretching distorts a barcode graphic printed on the label making the barcode unreadable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,014 to Seidl discloses a multilayer label comprising at least one authenticity feature which consists of at least two parts positioned on different layers of the label. The barcode can have m lines of which n lines are arranged on one layer (1) of the label and m-n lines are arranged on another layer of the label, where m>n>0. The label can have a lower layer and an upper layer with the lower layer having a greater surface area than the at least one layer positioned on top of it. The upper side and/or lower side of at least one of the layers can be coated with an adhesive at least in sections and/or at least in points.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,015 to Cummings et al. discloses a tamper-indicating barcode methodology that allows for detection of alteration to a barcode. The tamper-indicating methodology makes use of a tamper-indicating means comprising a particulate indicator, an optical indicator, a deformable substrate, and/or may be an integrated aspect of the barcode itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,095,324 to Conwell et al. discloses a tamper evident smart label with an RFID or RF transponder. Use of tamper evident label materials in the layered construction of the smart label prevents removal, transferal, replacement and/or alteration of the smart label without noticeable evidence of tampering. Visible patterns, holograms and/or microprinting are incorporated to increase label tampering visibility.
As will be appreciated from the above, although attempts to counter barcode fraud have been considered, improvements are desired. It is therefore an object to provide a novel anti-tamper label and a novel item embodying the same.